Sustainable Drainage at Clandeboye Primary School

Clandeboye Primary school in Bangor, has in a first for Northern Ireland, created a rainwater garden in its 4 acres of woodland to reduce and prevent the risk of flooding. The innovative flagship project by NI Water and the Department of Infrastructure, was a £70,000 investment in part of wider SuDs system costing £1.7 million.

The system firstly collects rainwater run-off from the roofs and stores them into an underwater storage unit (disguised as a Turtle). When the storage is full the valve opens, releasing the water down a channel which the pupils then use as a duck run play facility. The water then collects in two-split level ponds, forming the rainwater garden which provides further water storage and a fun educational resource to learn about ecosystems. The result is a reduce rate in which the water reaches the local watercourse Clandeboye Stream.

The project reduces the risk of flooding in the Clandeboye area, as well encouraging biodiversity and providing an additional educational resource for the pupils. The rainwater garden provides an extra layer to the school curriculum on ecosystems, a hands on learning tool on the environment and provides a safe place for children to learn about living with water.

For more information on the project, watch the youtube video provided by NI water.